On a crisp morning in Mongolia, a group of teenagers lace up their shoes and head outdoors together. Some laugh as they walk, others talk quietly about school and family. What brings them together is not a class requirement, but the opportunity to spend time with friends, be active, and learn practical skills that help them feel better in their daily lives. These young people are part of NextGen CELEBRATIONS!, a youth-led initiative supported by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), that is reshaping how adolescents engage with health.
Across the globe, Gen Z is navigating the realities of growing up in today’s world – rising mental health challenges, lifestyle-related diseases, and social pressures. In Mongolia, these challenges are increasingly visible among adolescents. NextGen CELEBRATIONS! responds with a clear conviction: young people are capable of leading change when they are trusted and supported. What began as a pilot program in the country is now emerging as a compelling example of youth-led health promotion in action.
What Is NextGen CELEBRATIONS!
NextGen CELEBRATIONS! is ADRA’s youth-focused adaptation of CELEBRATIONS!, a holistic health framework developed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Health Ministries Department. Each letter of the acronym represents a key health principle: Choices, Exercise, Liquids, Environment, Belief, Rest, Air, Temperance, Optimism, Nutrition, and Social Support.
In Mongolia, the program focuses on reducing risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) while strengthening mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing among adolescents. Learning takes place through experiential activities that allow young people to explore how health principles connect to everyday decisions, such as what they eat, how they rest, how they manage stress, and how they relate to others.
The program is built on empowerment. Youth ambassadors help plan activities, facilitate workshops, speak publicly about health, and serve as role models within their schools and communities. Uyanga is one of these ambassadors. Reflecting on her experience, she states, “Working as a health ambassador is extremely motivating for me. The vision and objectives of this project are truly inspiring, which allows me to engage with it wholeheartedly and continuously learn and grow. I find myself working with genuine enthusiasm and joy.”
Why Youth Leadership Matters in Health
Adolescence is a formative stage for health behaviors and emotional resilience, and research has consistently shown that peer-to-peer influence plays a significant role during this stage. Moreover, young people today are acutely aware of challenges such as stress, anxiety, social isolation, and the growing burden of NCDs. Gen Z in particular is often described as values-driven and socially aware, with a strong interest in both physical and mental wellbeing.
NextGen CELEBRATIONS! intentionally builds on this dynamic by positioning young people as leaders rather than as passive recipients of information. Additionally, for many youth ambassadors, their values form the foundation for their leadership. Values such as care for others, stewardship of the body, and service to community shape how they understand and share messages about health.
“Spending my free time on meaningful and positive activities has brought significant changes to my emotional well-being, and I have become more confident in expressing myself to others,” says Otgonmend, a youth ambassador. “I have also built close friendships with younger students at my school, which has expanded my social circle and strengthened my social connections”
Mongolia Pilot Program: Youth in Action
Mongolia was selected as the pilot location for NextGen CELEBRATIONS! due to its rising NCD risks among young people and strong opportunities to partner with schools and communities. The program currently operates health clubs in four schools, creating regular spaces where adolescents can learn, practice, and reflect together.
Activities led by the youth are practical and grounded in daily realities. Outdoor hikes encourage physical activity and connection with nature. Emotional wellbeing workshops provide space to talk about stress, self-esteem, and coping. Students take part in healthy snack swaps, sports days with parents and teachers, and cooking demonstrations using accessible ingredients.
Health clubs also focus on life skills that support long-term wellbeing. Students participate in budgeting exercises paired with shopping trips, learning how to make healthier food choices within limited resources. Sessions on building and maintaining friendships help strengthen social support, while activities focused on reducing screen time encourage reflection on digital habits.
Youth ambassadors have also led campaigns and advocacy activities, including marching on World No Tobacco Day to discourage vaping and tobacco use. Health conversations extend beyond school walls through radio programs, where young people share perspectives on mental wellbeing, optimism, and healthy living with the wider community.
Teachers have noticed marked differences in the students, observing, “Children’s time management has improved as a result of this project. They have become more friendly in their interactions with peers, and they are learning to socialize and express themselves appropriately to others. Their knowledge of proper and healthy nutrition is also improving.”
Mental Wellbeing at the Center
Mental health is a central focus of NextGen CELEBRATIONS!. Adolescence is a time of rapid change, identity formation, and emotional vulnerability. In Mongolia – as in many countries – young people often face academic pressure, social expectations, and uncertainty about the future.
Through NextGen CELEBRATIONS!, workshops and group activities create safe spaces for young people to talk openly about emotions, stress, and coping strategies, with principles such as optimism and social support integrated throughout the program. One youth ambassador noted, “Children in the Health Club are becoming more interested and engaged in the club’s activities with each passing day. As a result, we are observing noticeable improvements in their mental well-being, overall health, self-confidence, and emotional stability.”
Engaging the Enabling Environment
A defining strength of NextGen CELEBRATIONS! in Mongolia is its intentional focus on the enabling environment around adolescents. While young people gain knowledge and skills through health clubs, their ability to apply them depends heavily on support at home and in the classroom.
Parents are invited to participate in activities and attend events alongside their children. For many families, this has opened new conversations around food, rest, emotional wellbeing, and daily routines.
“Since our daughter started participating in ADRA’s program, our family has developed more positive relationships and improved our healthy eating and exercise habits,” one parent stated. “On the days she attends health club, she shares with us what she has learned and understood, discussing it with the whole family.”
Teachers also play a critical role. Their involvement reinforces health-promoting messages throughout the school day and helps create consistency between learning and practice. As one teacher noted, “Active involvement from teachers is very important. I believe that when teachers themselves are actively engaged, they motivate students more and increase student participation.”
Looking Beyond Mongolia
The Mongolia pilot offers valuable lessons for other contexts: youth leadership works, holistic health matters, and change is most sustainable when families and schools are involved.
ADRA envisions NextGen CELEBRATIONS! expanding to other countries – adapting to local cultures while maintaining its core principles of empowerment and prevention.
“We at ADRA are working very hard to see more and more adolescents, their families and communities enjoying health in its fullness,” said Josue Orellana, Director of Health, Nutrition, and WASH for ADRA International. “NextGen Celebrations! is a great tool towards that goal.”
A Generation Stepping Forward
In Mongolia, NextGen CELEBRATIONS! reflects a generation stepping into leadership with compassion and enthusiasm. Adolescents are discovering their ability to influence peers, families, and communities through everyday choices.
Their journey offers a hopeful reminder: when young people are trusted and supported, they become powerful advocates for a healthier, more connected future.
Authors: Josue Orellana, Director for Health, Nutrition, and WASH, ADRA International
Weanne Estrada-Magbanua, Mental Health Specialist, ADRA International
